


I'm Glad You Came

by Lunarium



Category: Stand Still Stay Silent
Genre: Dreamscapes, Dreamworld, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-15
Updated: 2017-01-15
Packaged: 2018-09-15 15:05:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,061
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9240572
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lunarium/pseuds/Lunarium
Summary: It is summertime, and the boys find themselves missing the adrenaline of the adventure past, and the arms of one other.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [IdleLeaves](https://archiveofourown.org/users/IdleLeaves/gifts).



“Hold still.” 

The fingers against his cheek were soft, but the examination itself was merciless, moving his head one direction and the other, coupled with the “Tsk” and the hurriedly-spoken runo. The cut across his cheek healed quickly, though it was still warm to the touch. A few more rounds of healing-magic swept over the area. A pair of bright, glowing eyes, belonging to another mage, examined the work before he gave a curt nod of his head and took a step back. 

“You aren’t infected,” Lalli said. “You’re not dying. Just stupid, as always. Haven’t changed since the day we parted ways.” 

Unable to stop himself, Reynir grinned. “Well, it’s a good thing you came all the way here to heal me, then!”

Lalli blew air from his nostrils in irritation. 

“I was not going to sit around after the last letter you sent! Exploring a volcano—are you out of your mind?” 

Reynir laughed. “I guess I miss the adventures with the others so much! It was an inactive volcano anyway. I wasn’t going to fall into the lava like the story of that creature from the book my sister loves so much, don’t wor—”

“—You still got hurt and that’s unacce—let me see you arm—the other arm!” 

“I only miscalculated one step and slipped a few feet down a volcano—”

“—more like a few _miles!_ —” 

“—Not a few miles, come on! But it was fun, Lalli! If you ever come visit me in Iceland…” he drew in a sudden breath as Lalli pressed against his ribs. Out came another series of runos and Lalli’s touch, warm and soothing against the ache, leaving the area fully healed. Reynir ran a hand over the area, his eyebrows knitted in confusion; he hadn’t even realized he was this badly injured. 

Perhaps his fall was worse than he previously thought, Reynir realized. He did manage to get out of the volcano afterwards, but he must have been knocked cold for a few moments. Or was it a few hours? He didn’t remember the sun sinking over the horizon when he had begun the exploring, yet it was clearly evening by the time he climbed his way out. But he was doing well; he managed back to the hotel without any incident and slipped right into his bed. Maybe Lalli being here was a godsend, the next best thing to rolling himself straight into the hospital after that nasty fall. 

Oh, he must bleeding on the hotel bed right now! How foolish of himself! 

“How _did_ you find me, anyway?” 

Lalli paused as he reached for Reynir’s wrist. “I remembered a few things you showed me about crossing dream-seas,” he said, then returned to checking Reynir’s wrist. No injuries there. Not a scratch, though Reynir’s sleeve had been pulled back during the incident and thus exposed for possible injury and infection. Lalli nodded. 

“You will live, Reynir. To my dismay.” 

Reynir laughed at that and leaned back. “So said the man who traveled the dream-seas to rescue me from reckless volcano exploring! And you didn’t answer me: _how_ did you find me? There must be a thousand Havens between our own Havens right now!” 

Lalli regarded a spot a little while off, as he always did whenever avoiding a question. 

“I remembered something you taught me about traveling in the dream world,” he began slowly, choosing each word carefully. “Intention. Willing dreams to come to you. I got over my fear of the dream-sea as I thought of you. The rest was easy. That was all.” 

Reynir leaned forward, and his words spilled out sickly sweet and teasing. “You _remembered_ that? Knowing the right direction in dreams are clear as fog at the best of times! You must really have paid attention because you really wanted to see me after the mission! Memorized everything I ever said, wrote it down, kept it so close to your heart that you would reread it before you went to bed every night—hee!” 

The shove only made Reynir laugh more as he landed on his back on the green grass. Lalli leaned over him, snarling. “Stop now and I may decided not to hurt you.” 

“Hurt me, after all the care you took to heal me?”

*

Lalli’s eyes narrowed, and he growled, realizing he had lost the fight, but he would find another means of wiping the smug grin off Reynir’s face some other day. Sighing, he settled on the grass beside him, looking up at the slowly dancing clouds high above. It was daytime in Reynir’s Haven, the grass below them was warm, the blades fresh and the tips sharp against fingertips as they brushed past it. A little far off were the sheep, grazing or climbing some stupid-looking moss-covered hill.

Different from Lalli’s own Haven in many ways, but not completely unpleasant. He didn’t like how exposed he felt without the trees around him, but the small hills and the sheep were nice company, as was—though he would be loathe to admit it—the red-haired braided Icelander laying beside him. The wave of breeze passing through could lull him to sleep quite well here. Especially after that long travel, and now knowing that Reynir was safe…

“So my last letter shook you up?” Reynir said, startling Lalli back awake. 

Damn it. _Just like the first time he was in my Haven._

“Your Finnish was awful as always,” Lalli said, his speech slightly slurred. “I could only read it while in my own Haven because the dreamworld has mercy on my poor mind. You need to be careful how many vowels you’re adding or missing; it completely changes what you’re trying to say. I would never share your letters with anyone.” 

“Do the unintended meanings sound…naughty?” 

“When they actually make sense, they offer such offensive advice I would never repeat in front of a troll. Count yourself lucky the dreamworld can read the intention behind your pen.” 

“Oh.” Mortified, Reynir looked ahead. “I…need to work on my Finnish more. I’m sorry, Lalli.” 

“They did make me laugh,” Lalli confessed. “ _Stupid._ ” He shifted so he was resting on his side, studying the way the gentle wind caressed the red hair against Reynir’s cheeks. “Stupid Reynir and his stupid braid. I thought I would be free of you for one summer.” 

Reynir mirrored his position, his smile broken by the blades of grass separating them. “But then you grew sick and worried for my well-being. Remember, _you_ came to _me_. This time, it’s you who barged into my Haven uninvited. I’m still amazed you traveled this far. Are you sure you’re not in Iceland somewhere about to surprise me with a punch to the lips with your own lips?” 

“Keep dreaming, fool,” Lalli said. “I will not leave my post. Besides, Onni would leave me out hanging if I did anything rash ever again.” 

“And so you crossed the dream-sea when he told you not to.” 

“And so I crossed the dream-sea.” 

Reynir grinned. “And I cannot leave my farm again or my parents will kill me for real. I mean, not really, they’re not mean or anything, Lalli. They’re just worried for me. But I’ve been getting smarter about how to squeeze in adventures into my schedule. I’ve been sneaking away to explore other areas of Iceland. Sometimes I go sneaking after my brothers and sisters—there’s so much going on here too! I wish you were here so you could see for yourself!” 

Lalli sighed. “Someday. Not now. I’ve had to go back to pretending a normal life as best as I could despite…everything that had happened after Tuuri and I left Keuruu.” That earned him a sympathetic nod and a hand over his, as warm as the sunlight soaking into the grass. 

“Don't you have a school to go to?” 

“The Academy of Seiður? I'm too old for it, and besides, I decided to do this Finnish style. I'm learning through other mages.”

Lalli's lips twitched. “Finnish style. If I hear you ever say that again, I will smack you.”

Reynir grimaced in response, clearly guilty; Lalli sighed. “At least you’ve kept yourself busy.” 

Reynir gave a short laugh. “Yeah, about that…I guess I just couldn’t sit down after all the adventure we had with the others! I got used to the adrenaline, you could say.” 

Lalli shifted uncomfortably in his spot. “I know what you mean. I suppose part of the reason why I wanted to see you—that fear of your stupid adventure with the volcano…it was only an excuse to see you again.” 

Reynir beamed. “Even my Haven shifted as time went on. I realized I could change it as I saw fit, so I brought back with me everything from my own little adventures here.” 

Lalli raised an eyebrow. “You’re stupid _and_ crazy! I do not know any mage who wastes their time decorating their stupid Havens like this.” 

“Do you want to?” 

“Want to what? _Decorate?_ ” 

“No! See the rest of my Haven?” 

He waited for Lalli’s answer with such a sincere grin that the other could not say no, though the concern for what lay ahead sat in the back of his mind. What the hell was this stupid Icelander up to when the rest of the crew was not watching him, oh mercy of the gods Finnish and Icelandic both… 

“What are you going to show m—”

But Reynir had already grabbed Lalli’s arm, excitedly pulling him to his feet. Before Lalli knew it, they were off. 

Past hills dotted with grazing sheep they flew by, and down grass and barren roads both. Lalli had no idea what Reynir had in store. There was not much else to see at first: some fog here and there, and that silly sheepdog coming to bark and chase after them. Lalli hissed at it when he could, which only made Reynir stop to laugh and motion for the dog to run after them. 

But to Lalli’s relief, this only lasted for a short while before the fog overtook them, separating the sheepdog from them. 

“If Iceland is full of those things, then good luck in ever getting me to visit you,” Lalli wanted to grumble, but the words died in his throat the moment the fog cleared. 

Reynir had not been kidding. Somehow, everything about the world about them screamed Reynir in ways that Lalli could not describe. They had approached the shoreline of his Haven, but the dream-sea was different here. A ship with a viking figurehead lay docked, and Reynir took Lalli’s hand in his, motioning him to board on the vessel. 

The sky was…Lalli had no words for it. The sun fell below the horizon and the stars ascended like fireworks into the black dome above their heads. Starlights of a thousand hues, glimmered differently than above the water Lalli had crossed for miles coming over here to see his friend. A silvery moon dazzled in iridescence, captured and reflected, embroidered in the sea. 

_This was worth the effort coming all the way over here_ , Lalli thought with a curt nod as he looked around. “You control this sea?” 

“Yes, to an extent,” Reynir said. “The monsters here don’t frighten me. They were once mages like us. They find rest here. And it’s not all sea beyond here. There’s some land too, and they look like places I’ve been to, my other adventures. I willed them so I can relive them as often as I want.” 

“You’re…kind of incredible. I hate to admit it.” 

Reynir’s laugh carried into the tranquil night and around Lalli as he peered out, studying the stars. A moment later he was embraced by warm arms. He was used to Reynir’s very affectionate manners, as much as he wished the fool could at least warn him before touching him. But he placed a hand over Reynir’s arm, returning the contact. 

“I’m glad you came,” Reynir said. “Forget adventures with inactive volcanos and learning from seasoned mages. The best thing from the expedition was missing until just an hour ago.” 

“Oh? Was it?” Lalli kept his voice impassive, but he could not hide the smile. “Show me the rest of your world.” He turned around, wrapping his arms around Reynir, and accepted Reynir’s kiss.

**Author's Note:**

> Title comes from a song o the same name by The Wanted. :)


End file.
